Wheel aligning gauge



March 1932- I. w. MUNDEN 1,

WHEEL ALIGNING GAUGE Filed Oct. 10, 1929 INVENTOR, lZHZManden.

A T TORNE Y.

Patented Mala; 22, 1932 I 1 lUN'ITED STATES PATE T- OFFICE i ISAAG- W..MUNDEN, or. "11mm, amnion H WHEEL ALIGNINGGAUGE, App1ication filed October '10, 1929, Serial} No. 398,668."

This invention relates to wheel aligning of certain-parts shown at the leftend of, gauges, and especially to certain improve- Figure 1. r ments upon my invention shown in my Pat- Figure 3 is avertical sectional view along ent Number 1,7 01,050. the line 3+3 of Figure 2.

One object of this invention is to provide a Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view along 55 wheel aligning gauge by which the wheels the'line 4-4 of Figure 2. P of an automobile can be gauged or tested for F"gure' 5 is a perspective or isometric view turning radius alignment, as well as straight or the supporting and guiding end .of the alignment. For elucidating the foregoing main body or base member. 7 V

statementfit may be well to explain that Figure 6 i'san enlarged view of the flex- 30 when an automobile is travelling in. a ible gauging element shown depending at str-aight'line, its wheels are presumed to be the left end of Figure I V in straight alignment; but when the machine Referring to these drawings in detail, in

. is turning around a curve, or when its wheels which similar reference characters correare me position for turning around a curve, spond to similar parts in the several views, its front wheels are said to befin turning the invention is now described in -.detail as radius alignment. When the front wheels follows:- I are turning around a curve, the front Wheel A' main base member or body,-fo-rmed of at the inside of the curve is describing a alength of tubing, includes a substantially smaller circle or are than the front wheel in horizontal part 7 which is upwardly bowed. the outside of the curve, and consequently, sofits end portions may rest firmly on-a floor the slant of angularity of the inside wheel, or pavement which may be more. or less unwith respect to the straight alignment pOsieven. The end portions of t'his body are tion, is greater than the slant or angularityof turned upward or inqthe direction of the the outside front wheel. Proper steering conbend of the part 7, one of these upright parts struction provides for this difference of anbeing shown at 8, and' having a contacting gularity between the front wheels, when in plate 9 thereon for contacting with the inner the turning radius alignment, butsuch 0on side ofa'tire, while the other contacting elestructionmay become defective, and there, 3 ment (presently described) contacts with fore, there isa necessity for -determ1ningor the outer side of the tire of the opposite gauging the existing rellation of the front wheel of an automobile. wheels to one another, and-indicatingthe- (221- The upright part 10 of the main tent of ad 'nstment necessa 1 to overcome the member is united with a su porting plate 11,

J 7 f b P maladjustment. f p v 1 1 pre era ly the manner shown herein and Another object, therefore, is to generally de p bed in my patent above referred to. improve upon my previously patented inh Pl t 11 has upw rdly l ly vention, above mentioned,without sacrificing rn Qh Q g Y any of the advantages obtained by such pre- Whlch lgaligtng m i i edges viously patented invention, and without maz d g d dtg mg fi Whlle g g fii Q0 terially increasin the cost of manufacturing m a gm Y, 7 Q ng h Vices memberl has a longitudinal slot 15 extend- Otlisr objects and important features are its central ar andter'minafing Balls Wlth the ing 16 through which a bolt, cotter-"key, or g p y g ig l' 9 -f 1 1 other member may be inserted to prevent the 1S a S1 6 e 1011 W168 member 14 from movin too far to the ri ht gaugecOnStructed in accordance with re tit th 511; A i l'z with the present invention. is provided in the inner end portion of the [3 :Figure 22 is .an enlarged detail plan VIEW member 14, and through. this -open1ng, a

chain or other appropriate flexible element 18 extends, a securing member 19 being provided on the end of this chain to prevent accidental displacement of the chain from'the opening. 17. A gauging element or plate 20 14 is also formed with a gauging or contacting edge, end, or surface, as indicated at 22..

An auxiliary gauging member or plate is shown at 23, in Figures 2, 3 and 4, and this member has guiding tongues or lugs 24 which extend into the slot 15 and prevent lateral movement of the member 23 with respect to the member 14," while permitting longitudinal movement of these members 14 and 23 with respect to one another." A headed screw 25 also extends through the slot 15 and through an'opening of the member 23, and has a thumb nut 26 which combines with the head of the screw 25 for clamping the member 23 in any one of an infinite number of adjusted positions on the member 14. One edge of the member 23 is graduated, as indicated at 27 ,and these graduations or index markings are adapted to 'be moved into and out of registration with notches or index markings 28 which arelocatedat opposite sides of the middle parts of the flanges 12. An index element 29 is provided on the member 23, such index element being here shown as an arrow having pointed arrow heads at its opposite ends, the points of these arrow heads being adapted to register with the in,- dex markings 28.

The manner of lows: V

In testing or gauging wheelsfor straight alignment,the operation is practically identical with that explained in the above menusing this device is as foltioned prior patent, and consists in placing.

the device on the ground or floor at theofront of the wheels with the ends upright, being held in that position by the aid of a foot-piece 30, so that the contact surface 9 rests against the inner side-wall of one of the tires on one of the front wheels, and the contact surface 22 comes out just beyond the outer side-wall of the tire on the opposite front wheelwhile the wheels are pointedstraight forward with respect to the vehicle. Now slidethe gauging member 14 forward until the contact surface 22 rests against the outer side-wall of the tire, and whileiin that position slide the auxiliary gauging plate 23 to where the double-pointed arrow 29 stops even with the two index marks 28, and tighten the thumbscrew '25; a visible mark is now made on the tire with chalk or pencil at the spot where the contact surface 22touches it, then the p device is removed and the automobile is rolled forward or backward until the marked spot on the tire comes over on the opposite side of the hub and stops at approximately the same distance from the floor as it was in the first instance; and now the device is placed in a similar position at the rear of the wheels, the two contacting surfaces 9 and 22 being set against the inner and outer sidewalls of the respective tires, substantially at the mark which was made on the tire before the wheels were turned; and finally, a reading of the alignment, or misalignment as the case may be, is taken by comparing the position of the arrow-points 29 with the two index marks 28, one side showing In or Out. and the other side specifying the same in fractions-of an inch.

Having completed the gauging of the wheels with respect to straight alignment, the operations is continued to determine whether or not the wheels are properly aligned with respect to turning radius. With the wheels pointed straight forward, a record of the distance between the front of the wheels is taken from tire-wall to tire-wall the same as if intending to test for straight alignment. Now turn or cut the wheels sidewise (away from the contacting gauge surfaces) just far enough to enable the contacting edge 21 to touch the outer side of the tire against which the gauge surface 22 just previously rested, while the chain 18 is ex-' tended its full length over the contacting part 22, and while the indicating elements 28 and 29 are in registration. Next, move theentire device into the proper position for testing the distance across from one to the other of the front wheels while in this turned or out position using the contacting surfaces 9 and 22, and the wheel alignment or amount of non-alignment with respect to the turning radius will be disclosed by the new reading of the scale 27 with respect to the index markings 28, taking account of the distance that the index element 29 has moved from the index elements 28. To complete the operation,

first see that the wheels are pointed straight forward again, reverse the ends of the wheel aligning gauge, and by applying it to the opposite sides of the tires test the opposite turning radius in the same manner as previously described. Correctness of turning radius alignment is governed by specifications furnished relative to wheel base, and if found to be correct will of course furnish the same provided with a supporting and guidingmember, a gauging member slidably seated on said supporting and guiding member so to be movable towards and from the said 7 contacting end and to contact with the outer surface of the opposite tire of the vehicle, an auxiliary gauging element movably secured to said gauging member and adapted to be extended therefrom towards the said contacting end and to touch said outer surface and an auxiliary indexing member mounted to slide along said gauging member and provided with indexin elements and with means, 7

to secure it in difierent adjusted positions on said gauging member, said supporting and guiding member being provided with an indexing element for registering with the in dexing elements of the auxiliary gauging element.

2. In a Wheel-aligning gauge, the combination of a base provided with upright end portions one of which has a fixed tire contacting end, the other one of these upright portions having an indexing element thereon, a gauging member movably secured 011 the end portion that has the said indexing element thereon, said gauging member having a tire contacting end for cooperation with the first said contacting endin connection with two opposite tires to be gauged with respect to one another, an auxiliary gauging element movably secured to the said gauging member and adapted to be extended therefrom for touching one of said tires and thereby cooperating with the first said contacting end in gauging said tires, and an auxiliary indexing member mounted for movement along said gauging member and provided with an indexing element for registration with the first said indexing element,

substantially as shown and specified.

3. In a wheel-aligning gauge, the combination with a base having upright end portions each provided with a tire contacting memher, at least one of these tire contacting members being mounted for movement towards the other and having a longitudinal slot therein, an indexing member mounted on the slotted tire-contacting member and provided with guiding means and securing means which extend through said slot and permit the in: dexing member to be moved along said slotted tire contacting member and being effective for securing the indexing member in difierent adjustments with respect to said tire contacting member, and an auxiliary tire contacting member movably secured to said slottedtire contacting member and operable for cooperation with the first said tire contacting members substantially as s ecified.

4-. In a wheel-aligning gauge, t e combination with an elongated body provided with tire contacting members at its opposite ends for contacting with two opposite tires of a vehicle, one of these tire contacting members being mounted for movement towards the other and provided with an indexing member mounted for movement thereon towards the tire contacting end thereof, an auxiliary tire contacting member, and a chain connecting the auxiliary tire contacting member to one of the first said tire contacting members and operable for cooperation therewith in the manner specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ISAAC W. MUNDEN. 

